scary little jaunt to safeway

[starboard]

This

http://www.gpknives.com/item/emerson-combat-karambit-black.html

and OC are a fine combination if a gun for whatever reason is not an option. The karambit is difficult to disarm as the grip it affords is exceptionally strong, and the leverage for ripping is amazing. It's not a deep vitals stabber, obviously, but it is peerless for limb destruction and severing arteries.

Oh, and the "wave" feature allows you to open it with one hand very quickly and reliably indeed (not to mention that you can flick the blade open given the right pivot tension).

Carry it on the left side if you can do the southpaw, and if a hand shake should go wrong next time, you can disable the goblin's right arm in the next instant while he's "attached".

Better yet, no more handshakes. OC before they get that close, and then get away or go to town, depending on the circumstances. If you are trapped and facing multiple people, your best bet is a surprise offensive to take out the leader in the most heinous way possible. As the pack circles, they expect you to cower and retreat, and this you might do until the leader is within range, at which point you would attack with all you've got, covering whom you can with the OC on the way in.

Better yet, remember that your life is incomparably more important than complying with whatever regulation the breaking of which harms none. Look respectable*, walk confidently, and carry a small gun if you need a gun. The cops will not give you a second look given the sh*tbag density you describe, and no one will be the wiser unless you're in grave peril, at which point you'll be very glad to have it.

* The Doc Martens romper-stomper look may need adjustment if you require freedom from police scrutiny.

 

[denfoote]

I had the same thing happen to me several years ago.
I was walking home from the drug store when a couple of gangpunks followed me across the parking lot. One of them had his hand under his shirt as if her were holding something. At that time, I was not in possession of a valid Arizona CCW, so I was carrying openly, which is lawful to do in my state. I simply turned so that the punks could see that Taurus 605 on my hip with my hand very close to the grip. After conferring among themselves in Spanish (guess what kind of gangpunks they were), they decided that an armed target was not their cup of cervesa!!

This also reveals why I support open carry!!

 

[Rustynuts]

This http://www.gpknives.com/item/emerson...bit-black.html

Anything like that a bit cheaper? Haven't gotten into "nice" knives, so I'm sure this is a typical price, but I choked a little on it!

On the OC thing, do most/all that OC use retention type holsters? I would think that would be prudent to keep it from falling out or grabbed. I've read where some recommend a cross-draw with OC since it's hard to rip the gun out from behind? True or internet myth?

 

[bdickens]

Criminal-element types often rely on the fact that most people have been taught to be "nice" to their advantage. They use that fact to get close during the victim-selection process. If you are "not nice," that often puts you in the category of not-victim.

"Not nice" of course does not mean rude or agressive. It means more stand-offish.

 

[beatcop]

There are plenty of harmless nuts out there, might have been one...may also have been a crook. Best to ignore and keep going. If your pride hurts yell to your imaginary friend in the distance "Hey Bill wait up!" and kick it up to a jog.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

It could be that he was sizing you up? Did you see him when you left Safeway?

i left out a different door than i entered so i could walk across the parking lot farther away to see if he was anywhere nearby. he wasnt. still was pretty jumpy until i got inside my house though.

Even if you are confident in your self defense skills, consider what Sun Tzu said in "The Art of War" (good book): (paraphrased from memory) The best victory is the one where you never fight at all.

read it. love it. and i agree 100%. my favorite quote is "always let your enemy underestimate you"

starboard, thats a nasty little ripper there! i had a CRKT M-16 (http://www.gpknives.com/item/columbia-river-carson-m16-13.html) with me, so it wasnt a "small" knife in the strictest sense.

The Doc Martens romper-stomper look may need adjustment if you require freedom from police scrutiny.

no need. never even had a cop give me a second glance. they know someone who dresses in an overt agressive/criminal way is *usualy* going to try and stay outta trouble (because they know/think that cops keep an eye on them). or maybe it's just that i have an "honest" face (even though looks can/are deceiving). plus, i walk confidently in the open instead of lurking in shadows.

 

[wleggart]

I saw a fellow on a bike in the Kroger parking lot on my way back to my truck, and my alarms started screaming. I got into my truck and in the next row over he had a lady trapped with her driver side door open and a small child in the front seat. I got around into the lane behind her car in time to just miss him as her took off with her purse. I had every intention of accidentally running him over with the only weapon I had: a yukon denali! My wilson .45 is locked and cocked in the closed arm rest under my right arm. The lady was very shaken up, but unhurt. Not long after that I was getting into my Tundra and a well dressed young man got way too close and I was not able to get the door closed. My right hand gave him the STOP gesture, my voice (the one you use when the dog is just starting to shake your wifes cat) BACK OFF! and luckily I was safe. It could have been much worse. I am very careful about what is going on around me. I agree that I am willing to REALLY offend an innocent person when it's myself or my family that I think might be in jepordy.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

yukon denali

what caliber does that fire? one-shot manstopper? might be frowned on by the cops, it's only a purse. more of a pain to freeze credit cards and get driver's licences replaced than anything.

 

[MacTech]

Anything like that a bit cheaper? Haven't gotten into "nice" knives, so I'm sure this is a typical price, but I choked a little on it!

Spyderco has their line of "Waved" knives, the Delica (3" blade) and the Endura (4" blade) with the Emerson wave, Spyderco licensed the patent from Ernie Emerson and they're made with his permission

I EDC a D4 Wave and it's a great EDC knife, Spyderco's Wave feature works even better than the original Emerson wave

 

[jonmerritt]

I would have not let him get that close, I would have said "thats far enough" when he got into to my *** zone. What he did befor that was aggressive behavior, (in anybodies book), and would have made me aggressive defensive, avoid him, YES. Then he comes at you, problems, and make him aware. I think you got very lucky, this time.

 

[wagoneer1019]

I work on 27th ave and south of vanburen, I have a scarry little jaunt to work every day. I don't feel as helpless sence my boss lets me ccw.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

this time

i've been unlucky before. being young and dumb, i decided to fight with a guy when he tried to jack my wallet outta my back pocket. he got the wallet, and i got to go to the ER for 20 stitches in my leg. thats the reason i began to carry a knife (or roll of quarters/nickles) with me just about everywhere i go.

 

[SCKimberFan]

what caliber does that fire?

6.2L

 

[KiltedClaymore]

might get me one of these too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubaton

 

[denfoote]

might get me one of these too

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kubaton

I had one!!
I don't remember where I got it.
It was either from the MCSO posse or Phoenix PD at the state fair.
I carried it for years.
I even carried it into the protected area at Palo Verde, that is, until after 911!!!
For some strange reason security got real cranky about it, even though I knew most of the officers and they had seen it on the x-ray belt for years!!
They made me take it apart and gave me the baton back when I left site at the end of shift!! :banghead:

The baton is squirreled away somewhere.
I might just go on a hunt for it and reassemble the beast!!

 

[woodfiend]

Hey, nice staying tight there. I too am 17 and I carry a CRKT Desert Big Dog EVERYWHERE I go except for school. I have been in a situation like that before where there was no immediate threat, but stay ready to do business.

 

[woodfiend]

Also, one thing you might want to get is a good tactical light. I carry my Streamlight Scorpion at night sometimes. It shines 114 lumens I think and is only about 35 bucks. Great tool for disruption if one were so unfortunate to be in front of it.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

well, a light is a good idea, but this little incident happened right before sunset (when it seems like the sun gets much brighter, at least out here). so a light would have just been a club. if im fighting with someone bigger than me, im going to stab the man (but with my over-active adrenaline glans pumping full bore, it wouldnt be just one to ten stabs ) and end the fight quickly instead of beating him about the head with a flashlight for 5 minutes. no offence, thats just me.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

just remembered something that made this encounter extra-odd with a side order of scary. as im walking away, the dude says "well, i'll see you around!" in an extra cheery kind of voice . took things to a new level of creepy i never knew existed...

 

[neviander]

it's like the saying:be courteous,be polite,but have a plan to kill everyone in the room.the may have been casing you,glad it ended well.

lol, that's fantastic!

Kubaton sounds like a good idea, but it seems like you would need a fair amount of training to use it effectively.

No one has mentioned the shark bumping yet, so I will. Even a shark bumps it's prey before attacking it. You sound like you've got your head screwed on pretty straight, for a 17 year old way to be responsible.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

way to be responsible

but they still wont issue me a CCW! :banghead:

Kubaton sounds like a good idea, but it seems like you would need a fair amount of training to use it effectively.

not really. simple hammer strikes to the eyes, temples, back of the head at the base of skull, knees, elbows, ect. im sure catching one in the ear canal would be bad too.

 

[evan price]

When this sort of thing happens, do not acknowledge them, do not allow them to get that close to you, do not allow them to force you to do what they want. The handshake thing is a great way to get you off balance and get one hand under control. You should consider yourself lucky this didn't go more wrong.

If he won't take no for an answer and keeps closing in, "BACK THE **** OFF!" in a calm but commanding voice while you keep walking away usually works. Don't stop. Even if he gives you the old "You got a problem, punk?" kind of speech, Ignore & Leave!

 

[neviander]

but they still wont issue me a CCW!

Well, here in Texas you can carry around any style of rifle or shotgun openly and it's totally legal, just so long as you're not pointing it at anyone as your walking around. I imagine if you've got a levergun or an AR slung around your shoulder, walking down the street, not a lot of people are going to mess with you. In fact you'd probably get more static from the cops than you would with the bad boy homies.

 

[mp510]

It sounds to me like you over-reacted. It sounds to me that he was a panhandler, not an assailant. But I wasn't there, and I don't know your neighborhood characters.

If the situation was as grave as you make it seem, you really screwed up- bigtime, almost. If you were concerned enough to be ready to get into a knife fight with him, why did you cross the street in such a way to put yourself in a position to make contact? Had you went a little out of your way, you could have avoided the situation altogether. Yet, you chose not to. How would it sound, if you had to justify your actions, and you admitted that you saw it coming, had the oppertunity to avoid confrontation, and then OPTED to move forth towards the individual you thought was going to assault you.

You got lucky that nothing happened this time. Otherwise, you would be in a world of hurt right now.

 

[KiltedClaymore]

"BACK THE **** OFF!" in a calm but commanding voice while you keep walking away usually works.

im just too nice to do that unless provoked

really, if someone (i mean 99% of the folks out there) wants to talk to me, i'll chat with them. bum asks for some change, i'll give him it if i have any. unless im under direct physical attack or severely provoked ("dont poke the bear"), im a very laid back and peaceful person. but that doesnt make me prey because it allows me to get a clear reading of someone's vibe, therefore finding their true intentions. im also constantly sizing EVERYBODY up, no matter who they are or what they look like. i let my enemy underestimate me, handing me the advantage.

why did you cross the street in such a way to put yourself in a position to make contact? Had you went a little out of your way, you could have avoided the situation altogether.

i did move. he moved to intercept. also, pan handlers ask for money strait off. he didnt. he never ONCE asked for money. it never even came up in the conversation.